Montezemolo expresses sadness over Schumacher's health

MILAN (AP) — Former Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo expressed his sadness on Thursday at the condition of Michael Schumacher, two years after the former Formula One champion was seriously injured in a skiing accident.

Montezemolo was asked if he had any news about Schumacher, who sustained severe head injuries in France in December 2013 and is being cared for at his home in Switzerland.

"Unfortunately it's not good, it's not as good as one would have hoped," Montezemolo told an audience at a media event in Milan.

FILE - In this Thursday, Oct. 4, 2012 file photo, former Mercedes F1 driver Michael Schumacher of Germany pauses during a news conference to announce his retirement from Formula One at the end of 2012 in Suzuka, Japan. Former Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo has expressed his sadness at the condition of Michael Schumacher, two years after the former Formula One champion was seriously injured in a skiing accident. Montezemolo was asked at a media event Thursday, Feb. 4, 2016 in Milan if he had any news about Schumacher, who sustained severe head injuries in France in December 2013 and is being cared for at his home in Switzerland. Montezemolo says: ¿Unfortunately it's not good, it's not as good as one would have hoped.¿ (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi, File)

"Everyone said he was a really fast skier. That's not true, it's by one of life's chances that he finds himself still in this condition."

Schumacher's manager, Sabine Kehm, declined to comment on his condition when contacted by The Associated Press.

The German driver, who made his name with Benetton before joining Ferrari in 1996, won a record seven F1 titles and 91 races.

"He was a great driver," Montzemolo said. "We had great years together, also on a personal level, he had a kid, I had a kid... We had a great personal relationship. I think he deserves a great round of applause."

The audience duly broke into applause for the 47-year-old former champion.

Schumacher's accident happened on a family vacation as he was skiing with his 14-year-old son at the Meribel ski resort in the French Alps.

The avid skier hit the right side of his head on a rock, cracking his helmet. Doctors operated to remove blood clots from his brain, but some were left because they were too deeply embedded.

Schumacher's condition stabilized after he was placed in a drug-induced coma, from which he later emerged.

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(This story has been corrected to show that Schumacher joined Ferrari in 1996, not 2006)